Fourth Generation Computers(1971-present)

Apple macintosh

Fourth Generation of computers are the modern day computers. The size started to go down with the improvement in the integrated circuits. Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) and Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI) ensured that millions of components could be fit into a small chip. It reduces the size and price of the computers at the same time increasing power, efficiency and reliability. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, took the integrated circuits one step further by locating all the components of a computer (central processing unit, memory, and input and output controls) on a minuscule chip.
        Due to the reduction of cost and availability of the the computers power at a small place allowed everyday user to benefit. First came the minicomputers, which offered users different applications, most famous of these the word processors and spreadsheets, which could be used by non-technical users. Video game systems like Atari 2600 generated the interest of people in computers.
       In 1981, IBM introduced personal computers for home and office use. The number of personal computers in use more than doubled from 2 million in 1981 to 5.5 million in 1982. Ten years later 65 million PCs were being used. Computer size kept getting reduced during the years. It went down from Desktop to laptops. Machintosh introduced Graphic User Interface in which the user didn't have to type instructions but could use  Mouse for purpose.
         The continued improvement allowed the networking of computers for the sharing of data. Local Area Networking(LAN) and Wide Area Network(WAN),  were potential benefits, in that they could be implemented in corporations and every could share data over it. Soon the internet and World Wide Web (WWW) appeared on the computers scene and fermented the Hi-Tech revolution of 90's.